Volga, IA Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Volga, Clayton County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

What weather hits Volga?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 107 days in the Clayton forecast zone and Clayton County — the most common reported hazard around Volga, mostly in May and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (78 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (76 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flooding107Aug 2025Jun 7, 2008 · $25 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms78Feb 2026Nov 20, 1996 · $2,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds76May 2026Jun 22, 2015 · $200,000 damage
Flash flooding31Aug 2025Jul 21, 2017 · $12 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill21Jan 2026—
Excessive heat15Jun 2026Jul 17, 2011 · $25,000 damage
High winds9Dec 2021Nov 10, 1998 · $225,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet5Dec 2024Jan 4, 1998 · $4,000 damage

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996–2026 (the latest year is partial). A "day" is a date with at least one report in the Clayton forecast zone and Clayton County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Volga get?

A normal year brings about 36 inches of snow to Volga, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Elkader 6 Ssw weather station 4.9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (10.2 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.32.38.110.28.05.41.30.0

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Volga?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KARX (La Crosse, WI), about 73 miles north-northeast. Radar beams climb as they travel, so the height of the lowest scan over town decides how low in a storm the radar can see.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over VolgaView
KARX
La Crosse, WI
73 mi north-northeast6,000 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDVN
Quad Cities, IA
96 mi south-southeast9,000 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDMX
Des Moines, IA
134 mi west-southwest15,100 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms

Beam height is the center of the 0.5° scan above the radar, with standard refraction. Mountains near a radar can block it further.

Tornado & hail history near Volga

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 92 tornadoes within 25 miles of Volga, 21 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F5 on May 15, 1968, which passed about 16 miles west-northwest of town and caused 5 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on April 16, 2024, which passed about 20 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 248 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 20 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 8.00-inch hail on May 31, 1958.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center — tornadoes 1950–2025, hail 1955–2025. Distances are to each tornado's track; ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita scale.

On TALON you get Volga's live radar loop, rain/snow/ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks with arrival times and NWS warnings free; close-up radar and rotation detection are part of TALON Pro.

Volga radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Volga, IA?

KARX (La Crosse, WI), about 73 miles north-northeast. KDVN (Quad Cities, IA) is 96 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Volga?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Volga the lowest scan from KARX is about 6,000 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

Is TALON's radar for Volga free?

Yes — the US radar loop, rain/snow/ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and NWS warnings are free in any browser. Close-up radar, rotation detection and longer forecasts are part of TALON Pro.

Should I rely on radar for my safety?

No app replaces official warnings. When the National Weather Service issues a warning for Volga, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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